Question

Esterification of carboxylic acids is a/an __________ reaction.

(a) irreversible

(b) nucleophilic addition

(c) electrophilic substitution

(d) nucleophilic substitution

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This is a very interesting question from Carboxylic Acids Chemical Reactions topic in section Aldehydes, Ketones and Carboxylic Acids of Chemistry – Class 12

Answer 1

Right choice is (d) nucleophilic substitution

For explanation: When carboxylic acids are heated with alcohols with suitable catalyst, esters are formed. This is a reversible reaction due to all the individual steps involved in the mechanism of this reaction are reversible in nature. It is a type of nucleophilic acyl substitution reaction.